Switch structure



E; w. LANDMEIER swuca smucwunm Filed March 25, 1941 Feb; 2, 1943.

2 Sheets-Sheet l l u l i INVENTOR. g gi'dwinwLanolmeier.

19431 E. w. LANDMEIER 2,310,096

SWITCH STRUCTURE Filed March 25, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 IIIIIIIIIIIII' 47 INVENTOR. l'clwinwlianclme z'er. Y

Patented Feb. 2, 1943 UNITED STAT E A EENT OFFICE to The WadsworthElectric Manufacturing Company, *Covington, Kyz, a corporation ofKentucky Application March 25, 1941, Serial No. 385,112

8 Claims.

The present invention relates to electrical switches and has for anobject the provision of a compact and highly eflicient electrical switchwhich is particularly adaptable for use in switching electrical currentsof high amperage.

Another object of the invention is to provide, in a switch of thischaracter, a simple and sturdy floating switch blade assemblycooperatively related to the switch jaws and to an insulating barrierstructure in such manner as to minimize the arc produced in switchingoperations and to prevent the fiashover of the are which may be producedduring operation.

A further object of the invention is to provide an easily assembledinsulating barrier construction for electrica1 switches.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of actuatingmeans of simple and compact construction which affords easy and accurateoperation of the moving blade structure with relation to the switch jawsin a minimum of space.

These and other objects are attained by the means described herein andexemplified in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of a switch embodying the invention mounted ina cabinet, part being broken away.

Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken on line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken on line 3--3- of Fig. 1.

Fig; 4 is a cross-sectional view taken on line 4- of- Fig. 1, with theswitch in closed position.

- The invention herein described is adaptable to or both, are desirable,and it is to be understood that the invention shall not be considered aslimited to the exact structural details of the present example. As willbe hereinafter more fully understood, the invention may beadvantageously utilized in the so-called horse power rated switches.

In the illustrated structure a suitable switch cabinet 5 has fixedlymounted on the back wall l thereof an insulatin base 8 by means ofscrews t. The base 8 may be of slate or other suitable insula material.An insulating barrier !0 is fixed in edgewise relation to the base 8across the forward face thereof by means of screws I l which pass intothe barrier from the rear of the base. A plurality of switch connectorassemblies 12 and 13 are secured to base 8 and the respectivecomplementary parts are disposed on opposite sides of the barrier itwith the fixed contacts or pairs of switch jaw members thereof alignedand disposed closely adjacent the opposite faces of barrier it so thatthey are effectively insulated from each other although spaced apartonly by the thickness of the barrier Iii. In the present embodimentthere are three Wires entering the cabinet; hence three of the switchconnector assemblies !2 are mounted in spaced apart relation on one sideof barrier It and the complementary switch connector assemblies 13mounted on the other side of said barrier.

Switch connector assembly 12 has two fixed contacts or pairs of jawmembers I4-l4 suitably fixed in a conductor strip IS. The strip I5 istapped and is secured to base 8 by a screw I6 entering from the rear ofsaid base and by a bolt i'i which also passes through the base from therear and passes threadedly through conductor strip A suitable solderlessconnector [3 has a perforate lug l9 through which the bolt I1 passes,and a nut 28 serves to mount the solderless wire connector on theconductor strip IS. The switch connector assemblies [2 are alike;wherefore, the foregoing description of one will suffice for all.

The switch connector assembly i3 comprises a conductor strip 2| havingtwo fixed contacts or pairs of switch jaw members 22 which are alignedwith the switch jaw members l4 but on the opposite side of barrier l0therefrom. Mounted on top of barrier it is an insulating shield 23 whichoverhands all of the switch jaw members l4 and switch jaw members 22.'Slots 24 are provided in that part of shield 23 which overhangs thefixed contacts and each slot is positioned to register with an openingina fixed contact, that is to say, the space between the pair-of jawmembers comprising the fixed contact. As can be noted in Figs. 2, 3 andl, the top edges of jaw members [4 and 22 are but slightly spaced fromthe lower face of shield 23. As will be noted in Fig. 4, the adjacenttop edges in each pair of switch jaw members may be chamfered orotherwise arranged. to facilitate entry of the switch blades. Parallelpairs of slots 25 are provided in shield 23 in registry with the spacesbetween each pair of switch jaws 22.

In order to preclude the possibility of a flashover of the are belowshield 23, a suitable number of baiiies it of insulating material, suchas hard fiber, are mounted alongside the switch connector assemblieswherever they are deemed necessary. As can be seen in Fig. 2, the baflle26 has a slot 21 of a shape and size to slidably receive the shield 23therein. The barrier II] is slotted transversely, as at 28, to enablethe baflle 26 to be seated therein deep enough to extend below the topedge of fixed contacts I4 and 22. By slidably inserting shield 23 intothe slots 2'! of a selected number of bafiles 26 and positioning saidbaflles for entry into the proper slots 28 in barrier III, the shieldand battle structure is fixed permanently in place by means of screws 29which serve to secure the shield 23 to the barrier I0. (See Fig. 2.)

Suitably anchored to base 8 and extending upwardly through shield 23 areguideposts 30, which may be four in number, located intermediateadjacent baflles 26. Metal couplers 3| are slidably mounted onguideposts 30 and an insulating cross-bar 32 is connected to thesecouplers so that the cross-bar may be moved toward and away from shield23. The coupler members 3I have transverse slots 33 through which thecrank portion 34 of a switch operating member 35 passes. The member 35is journalled in any desired manner at opposite sides of the cabinet 6,for example by journalling it in suitable holes in the cabinet walls.Member 35 is so mounted as to afford the necessary amount of guidedmovement of cross-bar 32 within a minimum of space in the cabinet abovethe shield 23. Stops 35D fixed on the cabinet walls limit the movementof member 35 and 3 provided for the operating member 35. A quick makeand quick brake mechanism (not shown) may be associated with operatingmember 35 in a manner well understood in the art.

Fixed on the underside of crossbar 32, beneath each coupler member 3!,is a supplemental guide-clip 31' which is slidably mounted on a pair ofthe guide posts 30. The crossbar is thus kept in parallelism with shield23 as it is moved by crank 34.

Switch blade members 38 are mounted transversely of crossbar 32, on thelower face thereof. Members 38 are of U-shaped cross-section (see Fig.3) and the legs 39 thereof are bifurcated or notched as at 40 thusproviding spaced, aligned tongues 4I and 42 (see Fig. 2). The blademember 38 thus has a pair of parallel tongues M which are movablethrough a pair of slots 24 in shield 23 on one side of barrier ID, andanother pair of tongues 42 which are movable through a pair of slots 25on the opposite side of said barrier III. The tongues 4| arerespectively received between corresponding pairs of jaw members I4 onthe corresponding switch connector assembly I2 beneath the shield and ina corresponding manner the tongues 42 are received between pairs of jawmembers 22 on the connector assembly I3. Each member 38 thus provides afour point make and break in the current passing through it.

If,so desired, the switch blade members and the cooperating switchconnectors may be constructed to provide a greater number of tongues andcorrespondingly greater number of pairs of switch jaws respectively. Insuch a construction the desired number of tongues may be set in a commonconductor strip in the same manner that the jaw members I4 are embeddedin conductor strip I5. In switching the heavier amperages, the currentis actually divided simultaneously at a number of points at each blademember so that the possibility of destructive arcing is correspondinglyreduced. At the same time the simple and efiective arrangement of thebarrier, shield and baffles prevents any fiashover of such arcing as mayoccur.

The switch blade members 38 are desirably mounted on crossbar 32 in suchmanner as to maintain them in transverse relation to the crossbar whilepermitting a slight lateral rocking of the blades thereon. By somounting the blades 38, the depending tongues 4| and 42 of one blade arecapable of a limited degree of accommodation independently of thetongues on another blade and hence all of the tongues can be easilypassed through their respective slots 24 and 25 in the shield eventhough the slots are formed with limited clearance to further minimizethe possibility of any flashing over of an arc between the contactmembers.

The mounting of the switch blade members is inexpensively effected bymeans of rivets 43 having the heads thereof countersunk below the topsurface of crossbar 32, and the ends passing through holes in the top(or inverted base) of the switch blade members and through squarewashers 44. The ends of the rivets are peened and burred over thewashers as at 45 but the riveted connection is allowed to remainsomewhat loose in order to permit the limited lateral rocking of theswitch blades on said crossbar.

In the present embodiment the switch connector assemblies I3 carrysuitable fuse jaws 46. Complementary fuse connector assemblies 41 aremounted in spaced relation to the switch connector assemblies I3 and areprovided with fuse jaws 48. The assemblies 41 are of a constructionsomewhat similar to the switch connector assemblies I2 in that they arerespectively mounted on insulating base 49 by a screw (not shown) and abolt 53. A nut 500 on bolt 50 secures each solderless wire connector 5Iin place. The fuse jaws 46-48 serve to receive blade-ended,cartridgetype fuses 52.

The switch of the invention is subject to modification adapting it tothe use of other types of fuses or protective devices in associationtherewith within the cabinet, or such devices may be eliminated from theinterior of the cabinet with a corresponding simplification of structurewhich will be readily understood by those conversant with the art.

The switch structure is connected into a circuit by bringing the currentsupply lines 53 into the cabinet 6 through conduit 54 in the cabinetwall and clamping the bared ends of said lines in the solderlessconnectors I 8. The load circuit lines 55 are brought into the oppositeend of the cabinet 6 in a similar fashion and are attached by means ofthe connectors 5 I.

In operation the crossbar 32 is lifted or lowered by means of theexternally disposed handle 36. The four tongues on each switch blade mayswing laterally to a limited degree relative to the tongues of the otherswitch blades to assure easy movement and instantaneous entry of all ofthe switch blade tongues into the respective switch jaws. Thecooperative relation between the current carrying parts and theinsulating structure afiords long lived service in an unusually compactswitching apparatus.

What is claimed is:

1. In a switch structure the combination of an insulating base, aninsulating shield above and in spaced relation thereto, groups ofelectrically connected fixed contacts arranged in spaced relation onsaid base below the shield, a barrier extending between certain of saidgroups of contacts, baflles depending below the shield, transversely ofsaid barrier and between certain of said contacts for a short distancebelow the tops thereof, the shield having openings coinciding with thelocation of the fixed contacts, and a plurality of groups ofelectrically connected bifurcated switch blades having depending tonguesadapted to pass through the openings in the shield on opposite sides ofthe barrier to effect simultaneous multiple make and break of electricalconnection between complementary groups of contacts on opposite sides ofthe barrier.

2. In a switch structure the combination of an insulating base, aninsulating barrier projecting from the face of the base, complementarygroups of electrically connect-ed fixed contacts on the base againstopposite sides of the barrier, a shield mounted over the barr er andextending over said fixed contacts and further having narrow openingstherethrough above the respective fixed contacts, and a moving contactassembly comprising bifurcated switch blades for entering the narrowopenings in the shield and simultaneously effecting multiple make andbreak between complementary fixed contacts on opposite sides of thebarrier.

3. In a switch structure an insulating base, a shield in spaced relationto the base and having narrow slots therethrough, a moVing contactstructure comprising electrically connected groups of bifurcated bladesforming tongues adapted to pass through the slots of the shield,complementary groups of electrically connected fixed contacts mounted onthe base and so located as to receive said tongues as they pass throughthe slots in the shield, and insulating members between the base andshield separating certain of said complementary groups of fixed contactsfrom each other.

4. In a switch structure the combination of spaced pairs of switch jaws,a barrier spacing the pairs of jaws, and a fioatingly mounted switchblade assembly comprising groups of electrically connected tongues inspaced relation for straddling the barrier and simultaneously enteringrespective pairs of jaws.

5. In a switch structure the combination of spaced pairs of switch jaws,a barrier filling the space between the pairs of jaws, a shield over thebarrier and jaws and having openings over the respective pairs of jaws,and a guided and reciprocably mounted switch blade assembly comprisingelectrically connected projecting tongues for straddling said barrierand passing through said openings in said shield and electricallyconnecting certain pairs of said jaws.

6. In a switch structure the combination of an insulating crossbar,slotted coupler members fixed transversely of said bar, a crank memberpassing through the slots in the coupler members and lengthwise acrossthe face of the crossbar, vertical guides disposed adjacent oppositesides of the cross bar and extending through the extended ends of saidcoupler members, switch blades connected to said crossbar and adaptedfor slight, free, relative movement, switch jaws for receiving saidblades, and an interposed shield having slots therein to pass the bladesand direct them into said jaws.

7. In a switch apparatus, a base, a shield above it and having switchblade receiving openings therein, a barrier connected at opposite edgesto I said base and shield and having transverse slots in the edge towhich the shield is connected, and bafile members seating in the lastmentioned slots and furthermore being provided with slots through whichthe body of said shield passes whereby substantially isolated switch jawcompartments are provided.

8. In a switch the combination of a base, a barrier mounted edgewisethereon, switch jaws on the base and against opposite faces of thebarrier, a shield on the barrier closely overhanging said jaws andhaving restricted slot openings above the jaws, bafiles traversing thebarrier between certain of the jaws and extending above and below saidshield, a crossbar movable toward and away from the shield and adaptedto seat on the edges of said bafiles above the shield as a stop, switchblades freely depending from the crossbar and having depending tonguesfor self-alignment with the restricted slot openings in the shield, andmeans coupled to the cross bar for effecting guided movement of thecrossbar in switch opening and closing movements.

EDWIN W. LANDMEIER.

